VincentHobbes.comhttp://vincenthobbes.com
From the mind of writer Vincent HobbesMon, 16 Feb 2015 19:01:04 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://0.gravatar.com/blavatar/acb750bdd3011bfc9f7204f9d5f77125?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngVincentHobbes.comhttp://vincenthobbes.com
New Horror Fiction: Stringshttp://vincenthobbes.com/2013/10/24/new-horror-fiction-book/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2013/10/24/new-horror-fiction-book/#commentsThu, 24 Oct 2013 04:41:11 +0000http://vincenthobbes.com/?p=1195Continue reading New Horror Fiction: Strings→]]>Allison M. Dickson presents a chilling tale of entrapment and greed in her new horror fiction masterpiece: Strings. After four years of turning tricks in a mob-run New York brothel to pay off a debt, Nina is ready to go back to a quiet life in Iowa. Just one more client and the whole nightmare will be behind her, but this last trick turns into a battle for her soul.

Meanwhile, the brothel’s sadistic Madam has been hiding away money in order to move up in her family’s organization, and she only wants the half million dollars the reclusive millionaire pays for the girls.

But her driver Ramón has other ideas, making off with the money left behind when Nina’s last trick goes unexpectedly awry. The theft comes at a great cost to the Madam, setting off a horrific chain of events that changes them all.

The hooker. The driver. The Madam. All of them on a collision course to a place where only madness holds sway.

1984. The Soviet Union is locked in a bitter war in Afghanistan against the Mujahideen. To make matters worse, they are losing. With little hope left, and all odds against them, the Soviet Union grows desperate. In response, they create an exotic chemical weapon with a single purpose: To enhance their soldiers on the battlefield.

To test their creation, a secret mission is underway, and they test it on a Mujahideen hold-out, a massive cave complex on the far eastern border of Afghanistan.

Khost

_

2010. The United States is now at war in Afghanistan. To make matters worse, an elite team of Delta Force Operators have gone missing. There remains a lone survivor: Sergeant C. York.

Sergeant York describes a horrifying tale, a nightmare that has been awakened after two decades.

In response, a top-secret CIA team is brought in. These are members of the elite Special Activities Division, the best of the best. Made up of Delta Force, DEVGRU and a famous Marine sharpshooter, they face sheer terror as they are sent in to do one thing:

Chemical weapons have been used since the Stone Age. Sounds crazy, eh? Then, the weapons were in the form of poisoned arrows. These poisons were derived mainly from scorpion or snake venom, and possibly poisonous plants.

Gas warfare can also be traced back to the Spartans. The Mongols used poisonous gas in the 13th century.

Chemical warfare is not a 20th century invention. It merely escalated in usage, and more importantly, amount of causalities The Nazis did it, though they weren’t very successful. Germany also used the deadly Mustard Gas in the first World War.

But during the Cold War, both Soviet and Western governments put enormous resources into the development of chemical and biological weapons. This time period was this tipping point for chemical weapons. They were used on a wide scale, and the world eventually paid attention. The capabilities of these weapons affected many millions during this conflict, and it marked a time when the world would be forced to address the problem.

The problem is, we focus on the deadly chemicals. You know, the ones that kill you. What we miss is, the ones that make you stronger.

Many things happen in this region, isolated in the far eastern region of Afghanistan. Khost is the name of a province, and one of the deadliest regions in the country.

Khost has a long and interesting history. At one time, it was the alleged hiding place of Osama Bin Laden. But before Bin Laden, Khost was home to the fierce warriors, the Mujahideen.

The Mujahideen were financed by the Americans, using this money to buy arms to fight the Soviets. This was America’s Vietnam, our proxy war against the Soviets.

The Mujahideen took this money and also built many complex cave systems. One is known as the Zhawar Kili Cave Complex. Thus hadmany tunnels, some reaching as far as 500 meters. Powered by a gasoline generator, the cave housed a mosque, an arms depot, a kitchen, a hospital, a radio room and much more.

This is not your average cave. And Khost is not a place to trifle with.

The Soviet War in Afghanistan was a war raged between the Soviet supported Afghan government and the guerilla warriors, the Mujahideen. The war lasted almost ten years.

The Muj were supported by many countries, including the US and Saudi Arabia. On March 21, 1983, Ronald Reagan had this to say about the Mujahideen:

“To watch the courageous Afghan freedom fighters battle modern arsenals with simple hand-held weapons is an inspiration to those who love freedom.”

http://vincenthobbes.com/2013/03/20/interview-with-examiner-com/feed/0vincenthobbesMedia: The Story behind Khosthttp://vincenthobbes.com/2013/03/14/media-the-story-behind-khost/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2013/03/14/media-the-story-behind-khost/#commentsThu, 14 Mar 2013 08:12:14 +0000http://vincenthobbes.com/?p=1110Continue reading Media: The Story behind Khost→]]>Here’s a recent interview I did with The Story Behind the Book.

“Khost is the creation of two men: Vincent Hobbes and A.K. Waters. Khost is a military horror novel, inspired by actual events. Khost is a real place, a province on the far eastern border of Afghanistan—a place of war, a place of death.

It’s 1984, and the Soviet Union is locked in a bitter war in Afghanistan against the Mujahideen. To make matters worse, they are losing. With little hope left, and all odds against them, the Soviet Union grows desperate. In response, they create an exotic chemical weapon with a single purpose: To enhance their soldiers on the battlefield.”

The United States has many military and intelligence organizations popularly known as Special Operations Forces. Each branch of military has their own group of Special Operators. Here is a quick guide for you:

]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2013/03/14/united-states-special-operations-forces/feed/0vincenthobbesAimingMore...More...Slider_KhostTHEY: My 100th Review!http://vincenthobbes.com/2013/03/12/they-my-100th-review/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2013/03/12/they-my-100th-review/#commentsTue, 12 Mar 2013 05:51:59 +0000http://vincenthobbes.com/?p=1100]]>I wrote THEY almost 20 years ago. It’s been free on Amazon quite some time. I now have 105 reviews, and I’m most pleased by everyone’s response. The Good, the Bad, the Ugly. Here’s a snapshot of my 100th review:

I was awakened early this morning with the grim news. While on location filming for a new reality show, a helicopter went down, killing three men. On board was Delta Force member, Mike D.

The helicopter was flying in the early morning hours above Polsa Rosa Ranch—a ‘movie ranch’ that’s used by production companies to film TV shows and movies. The three occupants were ejected when the helicopter crashed into an empty field.

The reality TV show’s producer issued this statement:

“We can confirm that a helicopter crash occurred this morning while shooting a new series for a cable network which resulted tragically in three fatalities. We are cooperating fully with the authorities. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those involved.”

Everyone involved on set were working on the production of a new military reality show.

Prayers for the families and loved ones of the three men killed in last night’s crash.

Two days ago I received the news from some of my friends in the Special Forces community. Chris Kyle, author of American Sniper, and national hero, was murdered. My heart sank.

Chris was a United States Navy SEAL. He was the most lethal sniper in U.S. history, having 160 confirmed kills. He served four tours of duty in Iraq. That’s right, FOUR tours! He earned two Silver Stars among others for his actions in combat.

In 2008, outside Sadr City, he made his longest successful shot. After spotting an insurgent with a rocket launcher near a U.S. Army convoy, Chris took the 2,100 yard shot, saving his fellow soldiers.

That’s 1.2 miles!

As a fan of marksmanship, the skill it takes to do such a thing is amazing. You’re more likely to graduate from Harvard than you are to enter such an elite group of warriors, and Chris excelled, defending his men, fighting for his country.

Chris spent countless times in combat. Politics aside, he took down those who threatened his fellow soldiers. I’d have done the same.

I’ll note I’ve read online (duh, it’s the net. Full of internet keyboard warriors) some unsavory comments about the man.

Thing is, without men like him, the elite warrior class, our way of life in America wouldn’t be the same. Politicians send men to war. Men like Chris do their duty. I respect that.

Chris served within the Naval Special Warfare Command, serving over four tours of duty. Chris served in every major battle of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Due to his track record of success, Chris was deployed to Ramadi. The insurgents there put a $20,000 bounty on his head. It was later increased to $80,000.

During his four tours in Iraq, Chris was shot twice, as well as caught up in six separate IED explosions.

Yet he survived.

Chris gave his all to defend his country. I’ve spoken to members of the Special Forces community that knew Chris personally. They have nothing but the utmost respect for the man and his accomplishments. They are distraught by his death. It’s quite a sad irony, actually. People like Chris (Special Forces community) live wild and dangerous lives. They do things that 99.9% of us could never imagine doing, could never even fathom. While we sit on our couches and go to our dull jobs, men like Chris face constant danger. The irony is this: A warrior should die in combat. He should die protecting his men. Or, if lucky enough to live through it, should die an old man, honored for his service.

After leaving the Navy in 2009, he moved to Texas with his wife and two children.

In 2012, Chris’ autobiography was released. American Sniper is a wonderful read, and a best-seller. (I recommend purchasing this book. It’s a wonderful read, and the royalties due to him would help his grieving family).

To add to his honorable work, Chris paired with FITCO Cares Foundation, a non-profit group that provided help and life-coaching to in-need veterans with disabilities. He worked diligently with those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

And two days ago, his life was tragically cut short.

Chris was helping a Marine who had PTSD at an event on a private ranch. This Marine, for reasons yet unknown, shot Chris and another man point blank. Chris was young, and spent the majority of his time helping returning vets. He died too soon, and in a tragic way, leaving behind a wife and two young children. He’s survived some of the most dangerous situations a man could face, and yet died in such a manner. This haunts my soul. He died HELPING a fellow soldier, not in combat, but back home, where life should be safe, where he should have been able to continue his good work.

I offer my condolences to his friends, his family, and his team mates. The entire Special Forces community has suffered a tragic loss.

]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/11/06/the-muj/feed/0vincenthobbesOoops, He Did It Againhttp://vincenthobbes.com/2012/09/09/ooops-he-did-it-again/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/09/09/ooops-he-did-it-again/#commentsSun, 09 Sep 2012 18:50:39 +0000http://vincenthobbes.com/?p=789Continue reading Ooops, He Did It Again→]]>So, after yesterday’s debacle of discovering that ‘custom’ covers aren’t always quite so custom, I came to learn that Mr. Neil Jackson has done it to more than just one. How many? Only time will tell.

The great Billie Sue Mosiman got scammed, as well.

You see, I’m a nothing compared to her greatness. She’s a woman I look up to very much, both as a writer and as a person. I’ve enjoyed every single book I’ve read of hers. In my opinion, she’s the Queen of the Indie World.

Same story, and it goes like this. She was promised a ‘custom’ cover. Here, take a look:

I’m disgusted by this. How many more have been scammed? Hopefully, this outrage from the Indie Community will shut him down. We’ll be keeping a careful eye, because new authors pop up daily, and all are targets for such scams.

Mr. Neil Jackson, this could be a simple fix. Apologize publically. Say you’re sorry, clarify to authors that you’ll re-use their covers, and this would be over.

Thing is, you probably won’t.

Why? Because no author would want their cover repeated.

I’m wondering if Mr. Jackson figured he’d sell more of his own work riding the coat-tails of Billie Sue Mosiman. Perhaps. Or, perhaps he’s just lazy. I don’t know.

So, while we wait for the apology (and I’m the forgiving sort), I would like to share something.

A good friend of mine created a true CUSTOM cover for my next book. I paid handsomely, and it was money well spent.

Here, check it out:

Wait a minute . . . something looks familiar . . .

Vincent

]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/09/09/ooops-he-did-it-again/feed/2vincenthobbescover2coveritcoverVincentIntegrity in the Indie Worldhttp://vincenthobbes.com/2012/09/09/integrity-in-the-indie-world/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/09/09/integrity-in-the-indie-world/#commentsSun, 09 Sep 2012 01:57:25 +0000http://vincenthobbes.com/?p=780Continue reading Integrity in the Indie World→]]>Recently, the whole ‘paid-reviews’ debacle has hit the Indie world by storm. It’s made waves, and rightfully so. Indie writers have been in an uproar about ‘authors’ using paid fake reviews to bolster sales. It happens, but as it’s been brought to the light of day, Indie authors and publishers have lashed back.

Why?

Integrity.

Indie Authors want rules that are fair, they want an even playing field—they want a chance in this insane industry of publishing books. An excellent article discussing paid reviews can be viewed here:

Now, I’m not the sort to hold a grudge. I’m not the sort to go pick a fight, or join some cause. I don’t brag about my donations to charity, I don’t join the effort to save every single stray animal. Nothing wrong with causes, they’re just not for me. Causes are reserved for other people, and I’m not one of them.

I’m just a writer trying to make his way. No more, no less.

I do understand something, and that’s this: People DO make mistakes. Trust me, I’ve made plenty, everyone has. It’s part of the learning experience, and as the Indie World expands, thousands more join up. They do so not for money or fame, but for one simple reason: They love books!

Some will attempt writing. Some will attempt to open a publishing company.

Others will attempt designing book covers.

And many are clueless as to what they’re getting themselves into. Some adapt and make it, others fail. But that’s just life now, isn’t it?

But it’s Integrity that brings this topic at hand. (I know, what is the topic?).

Custom covers!

You see, I’m a HUGE fan of Jaime Johnesee’s work. She’s a wonderful writer, and an amazing person. Over the months I’ve been privileged to get to know her on a personal level, and I’m honored to call her a friend.

So, the story goes like this: She works hard . . . blood, sweat and tears and all that shit, and compiles a beautiful collection of short stories. She edits, rewrites, the whole mess that we writers face.

The fear of publication, the snags, the worries . . . . if you’re a writer, you understand.

Done! She’s finished and ready to get her book on the market.

Jaime then finds a ‘respectable‘ cover designer, cheap rates, a promise to create for her a ONE-OF-A-KIND cover. So she coughs up her hard-earned money and receives her ORIGINAL cover. Why must it be original you ask? Because a book must have its own identity, both within its pages as well as on the cover.

Here’s the ‘custom’ cover she purchased:

Looks great, right?

And all is well until . . . .

Hmmmm. Looks like this one-of-a-kind custom cover isn’t so custom after all, is it?

Like I said earlier, I don’t subscribe to causes. Maybe that’s not really true, though. I do follow one cause: I ALWAYS defend my friends.

Jaime Johnesee is indeed a friend, and I know how hurt she was when she discovered this, that her custom cover was being re-packaged and re-used. It’s deception, plain and simple.

Again, we all make mistakes, and if it was a mistake, the designer should make it right. He should issue an apology, refund her money, or perhaps do what he originally promised and give her a CUSTOM cover.

If anything, he should have made it clear, that this cover would be used over and over again. I’d venture to guess Jaime wouldn’t have spent her money on a cover that wasn’t unique and would be resold.

So once more, we have another issue of lack of integrity. If you remember, it wasn’t so long ago that the wonderful Mandy DeGeit got screwed by the ‘publisher who won’t be named’. That guy was an ass. Now, we have designers lacking of integrity.

My question is, will he make it right? Will he calm his ego, will he treat authors with the respect they deserve? I hope so, but I’m a realist, and don’t expect such.

Now, for a MUCH better blog on the situation, check out Todd Brown’s article on the matter. I’m glad there was someone with the courage to speak out on the matter, and figured I’d do the same and offer my support.

]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/09/09/integrity-in-the-indie-world/feed/11vincenthobbescover2Oh the horrorBlogginghttp://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/12/blogging/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/12/blogging/#commentsThu, 12 Apr 2012 06:56:41 +0000http://hobbesend.com/?p=771]]>I’ve been writing like a madman lately, and haven’t blogged in forever. But I’ll be back to it shortly, as well as a full update of my website. I have some amazing titles coming out this year. Thank you to everyone who is patiently awaiting me to blog more. Take care!

-Vincent

]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/12/blogging/feed/0vincenthobbesReviews like this make me smilehttp://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/04/reviews-like-this-make-me-smile/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/04/reviews-like-this-make-me-smile/#commentsWed, 04 Apr 2012 21:19:27 +0000http://hobbesend.com/?p=768]]>As a writer, this motivates. All the long hours, all the hard work, someone taking the time to leave such a glowing review is why I keep on pushing.

]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/04/reviews-like-this-make-me-smile/feed/2vincenthobbesreviewCover for The Endlands volume 2http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/04/cover-for-the-endlands-volume-2/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/04/cover-for-the-endlands-volume-2/#commentsWed, 04 Apr 2012 21:12:56 +0000http://hobbesend.com/?p=765]]>I just got this in from my publisher last week. New cover for a new book. The Endlands volume 2. This book is in production. Release info coming!!!

I’m stoked.

]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2012/04/04/cover-for-the-endlands-volume-2/feed/2vincenthobbesMedium_Endlands2The Hour of the Time Trailerhttp://vincenthobbes.com/2011/07/07/the-hour-of-the-time-trailer/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2011/07/07/the-hour-of-the-time-trailer/#commentsThu, 07 Jul 2011 20:27:01 +0000http://vincenthobbes.com/?p=742]]>]]>http://vincenthobbes.com/2011/07/07/the-hour-of-the-time-trailer/feed/0vincenthobbesThe Gathering Deadhttp://vincenthobbes.com/2011/07/05/the-gathering-dead/
http://vincenthobbes.com/2011/07/05/the-gathering-dead/#commentsTue, 05 Jul 2011 20:22:14 +0000http://vincenthobbes.com/?p=739Continue reading The Gathering Dead→]]>This was the first zombie story I’ve ever read, so I don’t have much to compare it to. I found the writing was fast-paced, and quite enjoyable. Good story about a team of civilians and soldiers trying to make it to safety in New York, surrounded by millions of zombies. The ideas weren’t necessarily all that original, but the author paints a vivid picture, and it was a page-turner.